When a familiar face walks back into your life, you never expect it to be the spark that sets everything ablaze. But in Emmerdale, that’s exactly what happens when Joe Absolom makes his jaw-dropping debut as Ray—a seemingly charismatic, dangerously calculating old contact of Mackenzie Boyd.

Long-time viewers know that Mack isn’t exactly a stranger to making risky choices. But this time, he might’ve gone one step too far—and the fallout could destroy more than just friendships.

The drama begins innocently enough—or as innocently as it can when you’re talking about a marijuana operation hidden in a barn. Lewis Barton, recently evicted and out of options, needs help moving his cannabis plants. With no one else to turn to, he enlists the help of Ross Barton and Mack. But as with everything in Emmerdale, help doesn’t come free.

Sensing an opportunity, Ross and Mack immediately begin plotting. They want in—financially. Forget the altruistic “medicinal use” Lewis claims to champion. These two see pound signs and decide they’ll sell the crop to a proper dealer, someone with connections. The friction starts here. Lewis is dead-set against turning his operation into a profit-making scheme, but Mack—ever the smooth talker—plays on emotions, evoking Moira’s medical needs as a reason to cooperate.

Ross is hesitant but ultimately agrees to Lewis’s terms. Mack, however, has other plans.

In a dangerous move, Mack arranges a secret deal with Ray behind both Lewis and Ross’s backs. Ray, portrayed with eerie charisma by Joe Absolom, is no ordinary buyer. He’s smooth, persuasive, and chillingly unpredictable—the kind of villain who can flip from charming to menacing in the blink of an eye. Mack believes he’s pulled off a masterstroke, but in reality, he’s just signed a pact with a devil he doesn’t understand.

The betrayal stings deeply when Lewis discovers the truth. For someone who believed this operation was meant to help people in pain, Mack’s double-dealing is unforgivable. Worse still, Ray arrives to inspect the product, and the brotherly bond between Lewis and Ross fractures under the weight of suspicion. Neither of them will stand by Mack, and Ray makes it abundantly clear—he’s not a man who walks away empty-handed.

Then, things spiral.

The next morning, Ross storms into the barn, only to find it completely cleared out. Every plant is gone. Panic sets in, and accusations fly. He immediately assumes Mack sold the crop to Ray, but Mack insists he didn’t go through with the deal. His denial is firm—but is it truthful?

So what happened to the weed?
There are two grim possibilities.

1. Ray took the plants without paying—a violent power move to assert dominance and leave Mack dangling in a dangerous debt.

2. Lewis, heartbroken and betrayed, made a reckless decision, risking jail time and the wrath of a man like Ray.

Either scenario ends with a bang—and Mack caught in the middle. And with Ray now in Emmerdale’s orbit, the stakes have never been higher. His arrival isn’t just a minor bump in Mack’s road; it’s the beginning of a high-stakes game that could cost someone their freedom—or worse.

This new arc has all the makings of a classic Emmerdale storm: betrayal, brotherhood, desperation, and the arrival of a villain too charming for his own good. Joe Absolom is no stranger to dark roles, and Ray is already being set up as one of the most compelling threats the Dales have seen in years. He’s not a brawler. He’s a strategist. And in a world like Emmerdale, where emotions often trump logic, that’s the most dangerous kind of villain.

So what’s next?

• Will Mack fess up to the full extent of his involvement?

• Is Lewis in deeper trouble than anyone knows?

• And what does Ray really want—just money, or control?

The arrival of Ray is more than just a new face in town—it’s the ignition point of a wildfire storyline that’s about to tear through trust, loyalty, and family ties. Emmerdale fans better brace themselves—because Mack’s choices are catching up to him fast, and with Ray in town, someone’s bound to pay the price.

One thing’s for sure: when you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. And Mack just handed the match to a man who loves to watch it all go up in smoke. 🔥🌾💣